Street-railway



(No Model.) 2 Sfieets-Sheet 1 R. M. HUNTER.

STREET RAILWAY.

5:11: :::::1 i I l Z a I 17a 3 (No Madel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. M. HUNTER.

I STREET RAILWAY.

No. 380,575. Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

FIG/I FIG. 7.

N. PETERS. Phololjtho rwhvrlwahwm I). C-

UNITED STATES PATENT Urrrcn.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRE ET= RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 380,575, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed October 14. 1887. Serial No. 352,297. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Street-Railways, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention has reference to railways; and it consists in certain improvements, all of which are fully set forth in the following speci fication, and shownin the accompanying drawings, which form part thereof.

In street-railways as heretofore usually con structed, where wooden stringers are employed upon which rails were secured by spikes, great difficulty has been found to prevent them becoming loose, owing to the base of the rail wearing down to such an extent as to enable the spike-heads to be worn off, and thus remove the only means for holding down such a rail. Rails of this kind are made with a flat under surface and adapted to rest upon the upper horizontal surface of a rectangular sleeper or stringer of wood. The upper sun face of the rail varies in thickness, the thin part forming the base of the rail and the thick or raised part the treading portion. \Vhile the wheels of the cars are designed to run upon the treading or thick portion, the other vehicles all run upon the thin or base portion, and thus wear it and its spike-heads down, the rail in many cases being worn completely through at the base, while the treading portion is yet good. The rails in many cases have to be removed and new ones put down simply because these base parts are worn down so much by the heavy vehicles (not cars) that no spikes can maintain their hold upon them to hold the rail firmly to the wooden stringer. As far as I am aware, prior to the date of my invention no rail of this class was ever made other than with the top spikes through the base part thereof. I believe that it was once attempted to groove a wooden stringer and then sheath such grooved stringer with thin sheet-iron without putting nails through the top, the purpose of which was to form a rail with a series of grooves side by side; but such rail has nothingin common with myinvention.

Another great objection to the old construction of road-bed lies in the fact that at the crossings where pedestrians are compelled to cross the tracks the rails were liable to become loose and the ends thereof be forced up and down with the passing of a car or other vehiole. The effect of this is that in muddy weather mud is invariablyinjected or squirted up into the air, and with the usual result of soiling the said pedestrians or persons designing to ride upon the car. This result is asupplementary result of theloosening of the rails, and to the public is perhaps more objectionable than the wearing out of the rails and their frequent renewals. The necessity of renewing the rails before worn out, simply because of the inability of the spikes to hold them in place, is a great loss to the railroad companies. One of the important causes for the drawing of the rail over the worn spike-heads is the expansion and contraction which takes place in a rail of this class. The under surface remains cool, while the top, and particularly the treading part, becomes heated, and as it must expand the rail arches up, drawing the base above the worn spikes, which passes the spikts through the holes without difficulty.

The objects of my invention, therefore, are to overcome these existing objections to the present methods of securing rails to stringers and in the construction of the rail itself.

In carrying out my invention I form the base part on one or both sides of the raised or thickened treading part, and upon one or both edges I provide downwardly-extending flanges which fit upon the outside or vertical face of the wooden stringers, and through such flange I drive in spikes, preferably in a downward or oblique direction. When I use a flange upon each side of the stringer, then I prefer to stagger the holes for the spikes, so that they shall not collide if long spikes be employed. The holes are preferably formed in the rail when being rolled, and it is best to make such holes flaring on the inside, so as to allow the spikes to be driven in obliquely and yet have a solid hold upon the outside. This construction of the holes is possible with my improved form of rail. It is possible to form the rail in a number of ways and yet be within my invention, and these modifications are fully set out hereinafter. My improved rail-fastening may be employed in conjunction with the ordinary form of rail, and thereby overcome the annoying splashing of mud at the crossings. In

1 this case my improved construction may be preferably flaring on the inside.

employed simply at the crossings or at the intersection of two streets. The flanges of the rail, which extend down as a means of fastening, are very thin compared with the rail proper, as they have only the duty of holding down the rail to perform; but they are prefererably of sufficient depth to prevent the tendency of the rail to warp and arch, even if left to itself.

In making my improved rail I first roll the flanges and the base part in the same plane with the treading part, and when the section is properly formed I cause the flanges to be rolled down. This process of forming the rail, however, may be varied to suit the judgment of the manufacturer.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional perspective View of my improved rail. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same, showing the method of its attachment to the sleeper or stringer. Fig. 3isalongitudinal sectional planviewof thesame through the line 00 5c of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views of my improved track, as I prefer to lay it at street-crossings when combined with the old form of track. Figs. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13 are cross-sectional views showing modified forms ofmy invention. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of Fig. 6, and Fig. 12 is a side elevation of Fig. 11.

A is the rail, and consists of the base or flat part B, the raised and thickened treading portion Oand their downwardly-extending flanges a. I prefer to have the base B slightly inclined upward toward the treading portion 0. b are openings or holes in the flanges a, and are Through them the spikes E are driven into the sleeper or stringer D. These holes b are preferably in the shape of a truncated cone with the apex on the outer face of the flange a, though this is not necessary. Thus the base or inner opening will be larger than the opening on the surface of the flanges, in consequence of which the spikes may be driven into the stringer D in an inclined or slanting direction, as is shown in Figs. 2, 8, and 13.

F is the cross-tie. I prefer to arrange the holes bin the flanges of the rail so that no two on opposite flanges are opposite each other, in order that the spikes E when driven in may be staggered, and be impossible for them to come in contact; but, as will be observed by referring to Figs. 8, 10, and 11, the flanges a may be dispensed with in some forms of my invention. The flanges a are preferably made thin, so as not to increase the weight of the rail abnormally; but it is also desirable to make them of sufficient depth that they may give strength to the rail against arching due to warping in summer.

In Figs. 4 and 5 are shown two ways in.

rail A at these crossings may be held down by the flanges above set out or by any of the other modifications of this improvement set out hereinafter. This construction of railway will not allow the rail to splash the mud, and the ordinary rail, A,wou1d be so far removed that no danger from splashing will result. I however prefer to have the entire railway constructed with my improved track.

In Fig. 6 is shown a rail in which only one flange ais bent over and fastened to the track by a spike, E, driven into the sleeper. Another spike (shown in dotted lines) may be driven down through the base 13 of the track near its outer edge. In practice, however, I prefer not to use spikes in this base portion, but to drive them only through the side flanges when that is possible.

In cases like the above the flange will prevent the rail rising, and the base-spike would be used more for prevention of lateral shifting or spreading of the rails.

In Fig. 8 the spike through the base is employed; but here the other spike is hooked and is driven diagonally into the sleeper, and so as to hold down upon the outer edge of the rail, where it will not be worn off.

In Fig. 9 one spike is driven in straight and one diagonally. In this case therail has the inner flange, a, through which a spike is driven, and its outer edge is held down by a plate, G, fitting over it below the treading surface and secured by a spike, E.

In Fig. 10 the track is provided with lugs or a rib, H, extending downward from its under side and extending into the stringer, and the spikes are driven through holes in the said lugs or rib.

In Figs. 11 and 12 a slot, 6, is showninthe treading portion of the rail, which receives the head of a screw, E, to secure it to the sleeper. Fig. 13 shows another form of rail, so far as its upper surface is concerned, it having a base part on each side of the treading part, and it is clear that these rails may be modified in very many other ways. without departing from the spirit of my invention.

These modifications of Fig. 1 might be used with advantage at the crossings; but when the entire railway is to be supplied with a rail of my improved construction, then I prefer to employ the construction set out in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 13, as they are the most practical constructions, in my opinion.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A street-railway rail having a base portion and a raised treading portion and very thin vertical flanges extending down from each edge of the rail, and having holes through its flanges arranged out of line,in which the space bounded by the under surface of the rail and the flanges is rectangular or substantially rectangular, in combination with a longitudinal stringer or sleeper of wood having its upper surface rectangular or substantially rectangular, so as to fit into the rail, and of the same width as the space between the vertical thin flanges to avoid cutting, and spikes driven in through the holes in the flanges intothe sleeper, so that they are staggered.

2. The combination of the rail A,having the base portion and the raised treading portion and the very thin vertical depending flanges a, provided with holes b, the holes in one flange being out of line with those in the other flange, the wooden stringer or sleeper D,having a flat top and of the same width as the space between the depending flanges a, to avoid cutting, over the upper part of which the rail fits, and spikes E driven through said holes into the stringer or sleeper from opposite sides, substantially as shown.

3. The combination of the rail A, having the base portion and the raised treading portion and the very thin vertical depending flanges a, provided with holes I), the holes in one flange being out of line with those in the other flange,the wooden stringer or sleeper D, having a flat top,over the upper part of which the rail fits without cutting the stringer, and spikes E- driven obliquely and downward through said holes into thebody of the wooden stringer or sleeper from opposite sides.

4. A railway-rail having a cross-section formed with a raised or thickened treading portion of less width than the rail, and having very thin vertically-downwardextending flanges provided with tapering holes for oblique spikes, and forming a rectangular under surface, whereby the mass of metal is above for the support of the vehicles, and provided with the thin flanges to strengthen the rail against warping and provide a means of securing the rail to the stringer without expos ing the spikes or waste of metal and allow the paving to be laid close up to the top of the rail on both sides.

5. A street-railway rail having a flat under surface, a raised and thick treading part, a base part extending from the edge to the treading part and gradually increasing in thickness,and athin vertical flange extending down from the said base portion and directly under the edge thereof, and provided with holes for the passage of holding-down spikes.

6. The combination of a longitudinal rectangular stringer of wood having a flat top, a rail having a base part and thick treading part and a flat under surface of a width equal to the width of the stringer, and also provided with a thin vertical flange projecting down from the rail and arranged upon the side or surface of the wooden stringer, and spikes driven in through the flange and into the stringer.

7. The combination of a longitudinal rectangular stringer of wood having a flat top, a rail having a base part and thick treading part and a flat under surface of a width equal to the width of the stringer, and also provided with a thin vertical flange projecting down from the rail, provided with tapering spikeholes, and arranged upon the side or surface of the wooden stringer, and spikes driven in through the-flange and obliquely down into the stringer.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set myhand.

RUDOLPH M. HUlfITER. Witnesses:

Ricnn. S. CHILD, Jr., Eanns'r HOWARD HUNTER. 

